#1: Two words: Holiday. Music.
If you want to get a group of people singing along and in a cheerful mood, throw on Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You (Extra Festive)” and your wish is granted. Besides Halloween, winter holidays are the only celebrations that have entire genres and songs dedicated to them. There is something so heartwarming about hearing those familiar songs every year. Maybe partake in some caroling this time around, or just dramatically sing along to the songs in your room like me.
#2: Holiday Themed Drinks and Foods
When Starbucks whips out those special cups, you know it’s about to get as lit as Christmas lights. Like autumn has pumpkin spice, winter has peppermint, sugar cookies, and eggnog. Personally, I will inhale anything peppermint flavored. It’s my absolute weakness. Sugar cookies, candy canes, and peppermint candies become a staple food in my diet.
#3: Holiday Spirits
As the holidays roll around, humans tend to show more care towards one another than usual. Gestures of kindness, friendliness, and charitable work can be seen everywhere you go. It’s always uplifting to hear about generous tips left to waiters, people paying for the drinks of the person behind them, or extreme acts of kindness from one person to another. This is something that is direly needed after how exhausting of a year 2016 has been, from the election to so many beloved figures passing away. Our society has a bad habit of being nasty to each other, but the holidays always soothe that, even if just for a little while.
#4: SNOW!
First off, apologies in advance to any unfortunate folks who live somewhere where snow does not fall. You’re missing out on the beauty of a lifetime and I recommend immediately travelling to a place that does experience snow. Snow is great in nearly every situation. It either comes in small enough doses to make everything a little prettier, or so much comes that classes get cancelled. Either way is a win-win.
#5: Winter Break
For us Pace students, it’s an entire month of unadulterated peace and tranquility. There is plenty of time for vacationing to warmer places, spending time with family, and detoxing from the stress of the semester. It’s also a time where you can binge-watch an entire series without any deadlines or pressing events. The second best part about winter break is that when we return to school, we have an entire new semester to face with new people, new professors, and new adventures. Some of us will be traveling abroad, some of us will take our first classes related to our major that we’ve been dreaming of, and through this new semester we may meet people that change our lives. That’s the true joy and bliss of winter holidays – although it may be sad to watch them go, it usually means that an entire new year has arrived. Winter holidays are a pleasure to anticipate, experience, and let pass, and I look forward to them.